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2022-09-23 Science & Technology
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Fuel issues may thwart nuclear reactor project in Wyoming
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[WyoFile] The fate of TerraPower’s proposed Natrium nuclear power plant in Kemmerer may now depend on how quickly the federal government can "downblend" enough weapons-grade uranium, then help stand up a new U.S.-based commercial supply of high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel.
This is the Bill Gates backed project.
Global events have interrupted fuel supplies. But falling short of the scheduled 2028 in-service date could jeopardize $2 billion in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy — half the estimated $4 billion cost of the liquid sodium-cooled nuclear power plant — and could scuttle the entire project, according to TerraPower. Blowing the now-tenuous deadline could also cast a shadow over TerraPower’s vision to deploy more Natrium power reactors in Wyoming and across the globe.
Relying on Russia. How is that working out now? Gee, you think something similar could happen where reliance on China is concerned?
"A reactor that doesn’t have access to fuel is not a particularly useful piece of equipment," TerraPower Director of External Affairs Jeff Navin said.
FUEL SWITCH
Nine months after selecting Wyoming for its pilot Natrium reactor in 2021, TerraPower cut ties with the Russian state-owned Tenex — the only facility in the world with the capacity to supply commercial volumes of HALEU — after Russia invaded Ukraine. At least one other "advanced nuclear" power demonstration project may also hinge on how quickly the U.S. can accelerate a domestic HALEU fuel supply: X-energy in Washington state.
Despite the logistic and scheduling challenges, TerraPower is moving forward as planned, according to the company. The nation’s electric power sector is moving swiftly to choose future power resources, and TerraPower sees a narrow window of opportunity to ensure advanced nuclear reactors play a major role, according to the company’s spokesperson.
"Utilities, states, countries and others are making decisions about what their [electric] generation is going to look like in the 2030s, and if we aren’t commercially available by then it’s going to hurt our ability to sell subsequent reactors," Navin said.
Wyoming officials hailed the Natrium demonstration project in Kemmerer, and potentially more Natrium reactors in the state, as an economic bridge to help backfill gaps left by a declining coal-fired power industry.
TerraPower selected Kemmerer and PacifiCorp’s nearby Naughton coal-fired power plant as the location for the Natrium reactor demonstration plant so it could re-purpose infrastructure that might otherwise be abandoned. The Naughton coal plant is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2028.
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Posted by M. Murcek 2022-09-23 00:00||
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Posted by NN2N1 2022-09-23 06:26||
2022-09-23 06:26||
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Posted by Slavising Unineting5672 2022-09-23 10:03||
2022-09-23 10:03||
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Posted by BrerRabbit 2022-09-23 10:19||
2022-09-23 10:19||
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